Mercurial > hg > early-roguelike
diff xrogue/README.TXT @ 133:e6179860cb76
Import XRogue 8.0 from the Roguelike Restoration Project (r1490)
author | John "Elwin" Edwards |
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date | Tue, 21 Apr 2015 08:55:20 -0400 |
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--- /dev/null Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000 +++ b/xrogue/README.TXT Tue Apr 21 08:55:20 2015 -0400 @@ -0,0 +1,646 @@ + Welcome to XRogue + http://roguelike.sourceforge.net/xrogue + + XRogue: Expeditions into the Dungeons of Doom + Copyright (C) 1991 Robert Pietkivitch + All rights reserved. + + Based on "Advanced Rogue" + Copyright (C) 1984, 1985 Michael Morgan, Ken Dalka and AT&T + All rights reserved. + + Based on "Rogue: Exploring the Dungeons of Doom" + Copyright (C) 1980, 1981 Michael Toy, Ken Arnold and Glenn Wichman + All rights reserved. + + See the file LICENSE.TXT for full copyright and licensing information. + + +XRogue: Expeditions into the Dungeons of Doom +--------------------------------------------- + +Introduction: + +Rogue was introduced at the University of California at Berkeley as a +screen-oriented fantasy game. The game had 26 types of monsters that +the player could meet while exploring a Dungeon generated by the computer. +Scrolls, potions, rings, wands, staves, armor, and weapons helped the +player to battle these monsters and to gain gold, the basis for scoring. + +The version of rogue described in this guide has been expanded to include +over 200 monsters with many new capabilities and has been renamed xrogue. +Many of the monsters are intelligent and they, like the player, must avoid +traps and decide when it is better to fight or to run. There are also a +number of new commands in this version not found in previous versions. + +The game contains monsters, spells, weapons, armor, potions, and other +magical items that you will discover during your quest. The Dungeon's +geography changes with every game and although many magical items have +certain identifiable properties, such as turning the player invisible, +the physical manifestation of the magic changes each game. A red potion, +for example, will cause the same reaction throughout a given game but +it may be a completely different potion in a new game. + +Entering the Dungeon with only a little food, armor, and a weapon, the +player must develop a good strategy of when to fight, when to run, and +how to best use any magical item found in the Dungeon. To make things +interesting the player has a quest to return one of several unique and +magical artifacts which are rumored to lie deep within the Dungeon. +Returning with this artifact to the surface brings great honor. + +However, after finding the artifact, the player may wish to continue +his quest deeper into the Dungeon to match wits with an arch-devil, a +demon-prince, or perhaps Charon the Boatman. Defeating such a creature +will gain the player many experience points which is the basis for +scoring in xrogue. It is very difficult to return from the Dungeons +of Doom alive. Very few players have won this game. + +Character Classes: + +Before placing the player in the Dungeon, the game requests that you +select what type of character they would like to be: Fighter, Paladin, +Ranger, Magic-User, Cleric, Thief, Assassin, Druid, or Monk. + + The Fighter + +A Fighter has the best odds at winning battles with monsters. At high +experience levels, the Fighter is able to attack his opponent multiple +times in a single turn. Strength is the main attribute of the Fighter. + + The Magic-User + +A Magic-User is able to cast spells. Intelligence is the main attribute. +The number of spells a Magic-User can cast increases as he gains in +experience points and in intelligence. His spell casting ability allows +him to identify any item in the Dungeon. 16 spells. + + The Cleric + +A Cleric is able to pray for assistance in battle. Wisdom is the main +attribute. The number of prayers granted to the Cleric increases as he +gains in experience points and in wisdom. Clerics can affect (turn) the +undead monsters to avoid battle. Ie., zombies, ghouls, etc. If the +Cleric is very powerful relative to the undead monster, turning it will +utterly destroy it. 16 prayers. + + The Paladin + +A Paladin is a type of holy warrior, being a cross between a Cleric +and a Fighter. He is able to pray and affect the undead like the Cleric +and fight like the Fighter, but both to a lesser extent. He is on the +side of all that is righteous and good and would never attack a monster +that has not attacked him first. If he happens to kill such a monster, +inadvertantly or otherwise, he will begin to feel increasingly uneasy. +If he kills too many such monsters, he will face karmic retaliation and +be reduced to a mere Fighter, minus all of the Cleric's ability. +Charisma is the main attribute with Wisdom second. + + The Ranger + +A Ranger is a type of mystical warrior, being a cross between the +Magic-User and Fighter. Like the Paladin, he is on the side of all +that is righteous and good and would never attack a monster that +has not attacked him first. A Ranger is able to cast spells like the +Magic-User and fight like the Fighter, but both to a lesser extent. +Charisma is the main attribute with Intelligence second. + + The Thief + +A Thief is exceptionally dexterous and has great skill at being able +to set a traps for and/or rob (steal) items from monsters. Thieves have +the ability to detect all the gold and hidden traps on each level of +the Dungeon. Their dexterous nature gives Thieves the ability to move +very quietly, so they are not as likely as to wake up sleeping monsters +as are the other character types. If a Thief manages to sneak up on a +creature without waking it he may be able to backstab the monster. The +damage from a backstab is greatly increased based upon the experience +level. Dexterity is the main attribute. + + The Assassin + +An Assassin is a person trained in the art of killing monsters by +surprise. He has some of the abilities of the Thief, but he cannot +sense traps or backstab. Instead, the Assassin has the chance to kill +an opponent outright with one deadly blow. He can recognize and use +poison found in the Dungeon on his weapon, thereby, making his next +attack exceptionally lethal. Dexterity is the main attribute. + + The Druid + +A Druid is a type of magical warrior, being a cross between the Cleric +and the Magic-User. A Druid can chant both spells and prayers plus a +few of his own. The number of chants available to the Druid increases +as he gains in experience points and in Wisdom. Wisdom is the main +attribute. 16 chants. + + The Monk + +A Monk is trained in the martial arts. He wears no armor and does not +need a weapon (although using them is not forbidden). As the Monk gains +in experience points his natural defense or ability to dodge attackers +increases. The Mong is a cross between the Druid and Fighter, so he +can chant and also fight like the Fighter, but both to a lesser extent. +Constitution is the main attribute, with wisdom second. + +Attributes Of The Charaters: + +Strength - The primary attribute for encumberance. + +Intelligence - The primary attribute for casting spells. + +Wisdom - The primary attribute for prayers and chanting. + +Dexterity - The primary attribute for stealthiness. + +Charisma - The primary attribute for good will. High Charisma also + affects the cost of objects when making transactions. + +Constitution - The primary attribute for health. High Constitution + affects the amount of hit points you receive when + moving up in experience levels. + +Note: The Ranger, Paladin, and Monk do not receive their "special" +magical abilities until they have advanced a few experience levels. + +Experience Levels: + +Characters gain experience points mostly from killing monsters. Other +actions, such as stealing items from monsters, backstabbing, and turning +monsters, also add extra experience points. Each character type gains +experience points and moves up in experience levels at different rates. +Moving up in experience levels adds extra hit points to the character +which determines how many "hits" he can take before being killed. + +Allocating Attribute Points To The Characters: + +A player starts with 75 attribute points to distribute in to the character +he has chosen to play. When you are prompted to distribute the attribute +points, the screen displays the minimum and maximum allowable values for +that particular attribute. The player can type a backspace (Ctrl-H) to go +back and change a previous value and typing an escape (ESC) sets all the +remaining attributes to the maximum value possible, given the number of +remaining attribute points to be distributed. + +THE SCREEN + +During the normal course of play, the screen consists of three separate +sections: the top line, the bottom two lines, and the remaining screen +in the middle. The top line reports actions which occur during the game, +the middle section depicts the Dungeon, and the bottom two lines describe +the player's current condition. + +Whenever anything happens to the player, such as finding a scroll, hitting +a monster, or being hit by a monster, a short report appears on the top +line of the screen. When you see the word 'More' on the top line, that +means you must press the space key to continue. + +The following items may be found within the Dungeon. Some of them have +more than one interpretation, depending upon whether your character +recognizes them or not. + +| A wall of a room. +- A wall of a room. +* A pile of gold. +% A way to another level. ++ A doorway. +. The floor in a room. +# The floor in a passageway. + Solid rock (denoted by a space). +^ The entrance to a Trading Post +@ The player. +_ The player, when invisible. +: Some food. +! A flask containing a potion. +? A sealed scroll. += A ring. +) A weapon. +] Some armor. +; A miscellaneous magic item +, An artifact +/ A wand or a staff. + > A trapdoor leading to the next level +{ An arrow trap +$ A sleeping gas trap +} A beartrap +~ A trap that teleports you somewhere else +` A poison dart trap +" A shimmering magic pool +' An entrance to a maze +$ Any magical item. (During magic detection) + > A blessed magical item. (During magic detection) +< A cursed magical item. (During magic detection) + +Monsters are depicted as letters of the alphabet. Note that all letters +denote multiple monsters, depending on which level of the Dungeon you are +on. The player may identify a current monster by using the identify +command ('/') or the clarify command ('='). + +The bottom two lines of the screen describe the player's current status. +The first line gives the player's characteristics: + +Intelligence, Strength, Wisdom, Dexterity, Charisma, and Constitution +all have a normal maximum value of 50 points, but they can go higher if +augmented by a ring. Encumberance is a measurement of how much the player +can carry versus how much he is currently carrying. The more you carry +relative to your maximum encumberance causes you to use more food. The +attribute of Strength fortifies one's encumberance. + +The player's current number of hit points are denoted as (Hp) and it is +followed in parentheses by the player's current maximum hit points. Hit +points express the player's survivability. As a player heals by resting, +using potions, or spells, the player's current hit points gradually increase +until they reach the current maximum. This maximum number will be increased +each time a player goes up an experience level. If the player's current hit +points reach 0, the player becomes "metabolically challenged". + +The player's armor class is denoted as (Ac). This number describes the +amount of protection provided by the armor, cloaks, and/or rings currently +worn by the player. It is also affected by high or low dexterity. Wearing +no armor is equivalent to an armor class of 10 (Monk excepted). The lower +the armor class number, the better. + +The player's current experience level is denoted as (Exp), followed by +the player's experience points. A new experience level brings extra hit +points and possibly added abilities, such as new spells for a Magic-user, +new prayers for a Cleric, and new chants for a Druid. There are a total +of 26 experience levels per character. + +Commands: + +A player can invoke most commands by typing in a single character. +Some commands, however, require a direction, in which case the player +types the command character followed by a directional letter. Many +commands can be prefaced by a number, indicating how many times the +command should be executed. + +When the player invokes a command referring to an item in the player's +pack (such as reading a scroll), the game prompts for the item. The +player can then type the letter associated with the item. Typing a '*' +will produce a list of eligible items. + +A list of basic games commands: + +? Preceding a command by a '?' produces a brief explanation of the + command. The command '?*' gives an explanation of all the commands. + A '?@' gives information on things you encounter (rock, forest, etc). +/ Preceding a symbol by a '/' identifies the symbol. += Clarify. After typing an '=' sign, the player can use the movement + keys to position the cursor anywhere on the current level. As long + as the player can normally see the selected position, the game will + identify whatever is there. +h Move one position to the left. +j Move one position down. +k Move one position up. +l Move one position to the right. +y Move one position to the top left. +u Move one position to the top right. +b Move one position to the bottom left. +n Move one position to the bottom right. +H Run to the left until reaching something interesting. +J Run down until reaching something interesting. +K Run up until reaching something interesting. +L Run to the right until reaching something interesting. +Y Run to the top left until reaching something interesting. +U Run to the top right until reaching something interesting. +B Run to the bottom left until reaching something interesting. +N Run to the bottom right until reaching something interesting. + + > Go down the stairs to the next level or enter the outer region if you + are standing upon the wormhole trap (must be "flying" for this to work). +< Go up the stairs to the next level or enter the outer region if you are + standing upon the wormhole trap (must be "flying" for this to work). + +* Count the gold in the player's pack. +! Escape to the shell level. +$ Price an item at the Trading Post. +# Buy an item at the Trading Post. +% Sell an item at the Trading Post. +. This command (a period) causes the player to rest one turn. +^ This command sets traps and is limited to Thieves and Assassins. If the + command is successful the game will ask the player for the trap type and + sets it where the player is standing. +a Affect the undead. This command is restricted to Clerics and Paladins + and must be followed by a directional letter. +A Choose your quest item (at game startup only!). +c This command is restricted to Druids and Monks and it produces a list of + available chants. The player can select one of the displayed chants and + if the player's energy level is sufficiently high, "chant" it. The more + complicated the spell, the more energy it will take. +C This command is restricted to Magic-Users and Rangers and it produces a + list of available spells. The player can select one of the displayed + spells and if the player's energy level is sufficiently high, "cast" it. + The more complicated the spell, the more energy it will take. +d Drop an item from the player's pack. +D Dip something into a magic pool. +e Eat some food from the player's pack. +f When this command is preceded with a directional command, the player will + move in the specified direction until he crosses something interesting. +F Frighten a monster. Not available to all characters. This command + loses it's power at around level 10. +g Give away or trade a slime-mold for food with a monster. +G This command is restricted to Thieves and Assassins. It causes the game + to display all of the gold on the current level. +i Display an inventory of the player's pack. +I This command prompts for an item from the player's pack and displays + the inventory information for that item. +m When the player types this command, you are prompted to mark an item + with a one-line name. +o Typing this command causes the game to display all the settable options. + The player can then examine them or change (some of) them +O Display your current character type and quest item. +p This command is restricted to Clerics and Paladins and it produces a + list of available prayers. The player can then select one of the + displayed prayers and if the player's energy level is sufficiently high, + "pray" it. The more complicated the prayer, the more energy it will +take. +P Pick up the items currently under the player. +q Quaff a potion from the player's pack. +Q Quit without saving the game. +r Read a scroll from the player's pack. +s Search for a secret door or a trap in the circle surrounding the player. +S Save your game to play at a later time. +t This command prompts for an object from the players pack. The player + then can throw the object in the specified direction. +T Take off whatever the player is wearing. +v Print the current xrogue version number. +w Wield a weapon from the player's pack. +W Wear some armor, ring, or a miscellaneous magic item from the player's + pack. The player can wear a maximum of 8 rings. +X This command is restricted to Thieves only. It causes the game to +display + all of the hidden traps on the current level. +z This command prompts for a wand or staff from the player's pack and zaps + it in the specified direction. ++ Fortune cookie! (Note: if you play xrogue over a modem, typing three + consecutive '+' will tell your modem to enter "command" mode. See your + modem manual on how to return from this mode). + +Escape Pressing the Escape key will cancel the current command. +Ctrl-B Check your current score. Scoring is based on experience points + and gold. However, gold is not that important and 10% is hacked + off if a player is killed. +Ctrl-E Check your current food level. This command is used when you want + to see just how much food you have remaining in your stomach. A + full stomach is measured to be about 2000(2100). As you play the + game, this level drops until you become hungry at about 200(2100). + A food level over 2000(2100) makes the character satiated, and a + level under 200(2100) makes the character hungry, then weak, and + finally fainting. A level of 2000(2100) is the most the character + can eat, a full, satisfied stomach! +Ctrl-L Redraw the screen. +Ctrl-N When the player types this command, the game prompts you to type a + one-line name for a monster or for an item in the player's pack + To name a monster, position the cursor over the desired monster and + rename it. +Ctrl-O Display the current "affects" on the player (such as slow, phased, + confused, extra sight, flying, dancing, etc.). +Ctrl-R Repeat last message displayed on the top line of the screen. +Ctrl-T This command is restricted to Thieves and Assassins. It must be + followed by a directional letter. If a monster is standing next to + the player in the specified direction, the effect is to steal an + item from the monster's pack. If successful, the monster does not + notice anything, but if the player is unsuccessful, there is a +chance + the monster will suddenly wake up and attack. +Ctrl-U Use a magic item in the player's pack. + +There is no explicit attack command. If a player wishes to do battle with a +monster, the player simply moves onto the spot where the monster is +standing. +Whatever the player is wielding will be used as the player's weapon. + +As the player moves across items, the game automatically picks them up and +places them into the player's pack. If there is no room left in the pack, +the item is left on the floor. Setting the "pickup" option to "NO" will +allow the player to pick up items at will using the 'P' command. + +All actions except for bookkeeping commands, such as taking an inventory, +take time. The amount of time varies with the command. Swinging a weapon, +for example, takes more time than simply moving; so a monster could move +several spaces in the time it takes the player to make one attack. The +time it takes to swing a weapon also varies based on the bulk of the weapon, +and the time it takes to simply move one space varies with the type of armor +worn and the player's level of encumberance. Movement is always faster when +the player is "flying". + +Actions also take time and some of them can be disrupted. If the player is +casting a spell for example, and gets hit before finishing it, the spell is +lost. Similarly, the player might choke if hit while trying to eat. These +same rules apply to monsters as well. + +Some of the rooms in the Dungeon possess a natural light source. In most +other rooms and in corridors, the player can see only those things within +a one-space radius around the player. Dark rooms can be lit with magical +light or by fire beetles and other monsters. + +The player can wield only one weapon at a time. When a player attacks +a monster, the amount of damage depends on the particular weapon he is +wielding. To fire a projectile weapon, such as a crossbow or a short bow, +the player should wield the bow and throw the bolt or arrow at the monster. + +A weapon may be cursed or blessed which will affect the likelihood of you +hitting a monster with it and the damage that it will inflict on the +monster. +If the player has identified the weapon he is using, the "to hit" and the +"to damage" bonuses appear (in that order) before the weapons name in the +inventory listing. A positive bonus indicates a blessed weapon, and a +negative bonus usually indicates a cursed or misguided weapon. A player +cannot release a cursed weapon until a remove curse scroll is read or cast +by magical means. + +After the player has identified a suit of armor, the protection bonus +appears +before the armors name in the inventory listing. If the bonus is positive +the armor is blessed but if it is negative, the armor is probably cursed. +The player cannot remove a cursed suit of armor until a remove curse scroll +is read or cast by magical means. + +Some monsters can corrode your armor! If such a monster hits a player +when the player is wearing metal armor, the armor will lose some of its +protective value. This same corrosive property also applies to weapons +when a player hits a monster with this ability. Search for a scroll of +"protection" to guard against corrosion of your armor and weapon. + +A player will find many potions and scrolls in the Dungeon. Reading a +scroll or quaffing a potion will usually cause some magical occurrence. +Potions and scrolls may be either cursed or blessed. In this version of +xrogue, Monster Confusion scrolls will turn your hands a variety of colors. +A blessed Magic Mapping scroll shows very detailed maps. A scroll of +Genocide works within the dungeon as well as in the outer region. A +scroll of blessed Teleportation will teleport you "upward" a few levels. +Blessed Remove Curse will cause certain monsters to panic if the scroll +is read near them. Charm Monster will let you charm several monsters. + +The player can wear a maximum of eight rings. Some of them have a magical +effect on the player as long as they are worn. Some rings also speed up +the player's metabolism, making the player require food more often. Rings +can be cursed or blessed and the player cannot remove a cursed ring until +a remove curse scroll is read or cast. + +Wands, rods, and staves help a player in battle and affect the Dungeon. +A player uses the "z" (zap) command to use a wand either to shoot at a +monster, teleport, or to light up a dark room. Wands can be cursed or +blessed. + +A player must be frugal with his food. Both moving and searching through +the Dungeon, and fighting monsters, consumes energy. Starving results in +the player's fainting for increasingly longer periods of time, during which +any nearby monster can attack the player at will. Food comes in the form +of standard rations and as a variety of berries. Some berries have side +effects in addition to satisfying one's hunger. Slime-Molds are monster +food and if you have one, you may be able to trade it for a regular food +ration, if the monster is of "friendly" persuasion. + +Gold has a couple of uses in the Dungeon. The first use of gold is to buy +things, either at a Trading Post or from a Quartermaster. The Trading Post +when found, is entered via the '>' command, like going down a stairway. +A Quartermaster ('q') is a Dungeon vendor who appears at certain times and +will try to sell the player some of his wares. The Quartermaster's wares +are never cursed but they can be blessed, though blessed goods do cost more +than normal goods. If the player chooses to buy something offered by a +Quartermaster, he will make the transaction for the specified amount of gold +and then disappear. Attacking a Quartermaster causes him to vanish in +haste! You can sometimes find gold at the bottom of "magic pools". Use +the ">" command to dive for the gold, but be careful you don't drown! + +When beginning a new game, a player is placed in the Trading Post with +an allotment of gold based upon the type of character chosen to play. +There are some restrictions on the use of certain items by character. +For example, only Fighters, Paladins, and Rangers can wield two-handed +swords while Thieves and Assassins can not wear certain types of armor. +However, the Trading Post (and Quartermaster) will happily sell a player +anything that he can afford, whether you need it or not. + +Miscellaneous magical items such as a Pair of Boots or a Book are numerous +within the Dungeon. These items are usually used to a player's advantage, +assuming they are not cursed. Some of these items can be worn, such as a +Cloak, while others are to be used, such as a Book, Beaker, or Ointment. +The Medicine Crystal will heal you, remove all curses, heal you, and may +cause panic in some monsters. + +There are a number of unique monsters deep within the depths of the Dungeon +that carry very special magical items or artifacts. When you begin the +game, +you are asked to choose a "quest item" to retrieve from the Dungeon. Most +of these items can be used to the player's advantage, even if they are not +one's own personal quest item during the game. However, care must be taken +when handling some of them for they have intelligence and some will reject +mishandling or abuse. These items consume your food (and your gold) so +carrying them around results in increased food use. Some of these items +will